The Clothes Maiden

Edition 10. Jan/ Feb 2013

A journal for the creative and fashionable minds

A journal for

the fashionable

and

creative minds

Love Letter

Hello world! Welcome to this lovely new year. I sincerely hope you’re enjoying it so

far, whatever it is you may be doing.

I’m incredibly excited to present to you our 1st Issue of 2013! We’ve put together a little something that’s sure to inspire you guys, from Elia Fernán-dez’s eye-catching illustrations to Bibi Lei’s beauti-

ful accessory label, STARs + Tart.

This issue is about new beginnings, we all know it’s hard going back to work or starting something

new after the Christmas holidays. I read something not so long ago that hasn’t left my mind and it

goes like this: “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

I had this in my thoughts whilst The Clothes Maiden

magazine was in the process of being created.

Remember to stay in touch: @clothesmaiden

Email: info@theclothesmaiden.com

The Clothes Maiden Contents

Vanessa Mooney

GiantLion

We Were Warriors

Sergio Spanu

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Editor:Stephanie Anderson

Contributors: Chloe LauterJade Stokes

Illustrators:Louise BurrowsYoanna Polski

6Vanessa Mooney

11Pretty Things We Like

14Materials + Process

20GIANTLion

24 Madison Harding

40Made By Lennebelle

48Alex Blythin

52Sun & Glory

60Elia Fernández

66We Were Warriors

73STARs + TART

77Sergio Spanu

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Born in 1980 and the great-granddaughter of Harry Warner (one

of the original Warner Bros), Vanessa Mooney has a unique look and attitude which is completely shown through her accessory line. Since a young girl, she has been in love with how free art is and how many differ-ent forms of art there are in the world. It wasn’t until 2009 when she founded her line and let her creativity; ideas and inspiration lead the way.

Designing in her downtown Los Angeles studio, Vanessa is completely self-taught. She combines unexpected materials and a technique that gives each design a fresh look and makes it feel as if it is utterly brand new.

Her personal style choices have been known to be ec-lectic, and has a rock ‘n’ roll, boho edge to her look. Hav-ing travelled a lot, she has an extensive love for different ethnicities and cultures.

Her line has brought with her a celebrity following and the ever-growing list includes Jennifer Lopez, Hayden Pan-ettiere, Katie Holmes, Vanes-sa Hudgens and Lily Allen among others and it’s easy to see why. With gorgeous, intricate designs and beauti-ful colours, everything in the collections always looks as if it has been carefully planned and designed with love.

Her collection can be found among 500 speciality stores and boutiques across the U.S and the rest of the world

including ShopBop, Madi-son and American Rag Cie. Her designs have also found her places among some of the worlds top fashion maga-zines including Marie Claire, Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar. To add to this list, Vanessa’s past collections have included collaborations with such names as Free People, Urban Outfitters and Madewell.

Vanessa Mooney’s designs have been handmade, with intricate work and always re-main unique and imaginative and this is what gives her brand the stand out quality it deserves.

www.vanessamooney.com

By Jade Stokes

Vanessa Mooney

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PrettyThings

We Like

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This little guy was Inspired by the azure blue sky and sea, the smooth and classy contours and the timeless polka-dot patterns of this purse are staples of

classic design. Michelle Chan makes beautiful coin purses, they’re sweet and super affordable!

www.misala.cc

Misala

£15.89

Sure, there are hundreds of lip balm on the shelves these days but none are as special as Black Widow. Black Widow is an independent beauty company

crafting limited batch lip balms that ignite the imagina-tion. Using natural ingredients to protect, soothe and

amplify lip colour. www.blackwidowbalm.com

Black Widow

£3.69

Beanies are still all over the internet, in shops on the high street and independent fashion labels are boom-

ing with fresh, unique designs. We found a corner of the internet that specialises in the best hats we’ve

ever seen with sweet price tags. www.hypenosis.com

Hype/Nosis

£8.98

Each piece by Moreal Seel is handmade to order, this Crescent necklace is one of our favourite designs. Stay tuned for more beautiful objects, lovingly hand crafted

in the future www.mooreaseal.etsy.com

Moorea

Seal

£19.15

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Hello pretty little knot ring, we love you!This is one online boutique you must check out, so remember the name, Covitaca Handmade, you will find yourself ending

up bankrupt. This Spanish label provides all the latest designs for a fraction

of the usual price. www.covitacahandmade.com

Covitaca

£8.11

SweetlyWrapped

£15

No! This isn’t a packet of Monster Munch, this is actually a nifty little wallet. Sweetly Wrapped is an online haven for all

things cool and eco-friendly.All of their products are handmade with love in the North

East of England.www.sweetlywrapped.co.uk

Looking for an antique claw ring this year? Look no further! Nunfish Accessories offers more than we

bargained for...Necklaces, bracelets, you name it! This online boutique offers a selective and detailed inventory of exciting and fashion forward jewellery and accessories. We spotted a

few bargains starting from as little as £2. www.nunfish.com

I want you to know we have had so much fun with Rust & Regret products until our heart was content. This afford-able jewellery label is based in Australia but ship to the

UK. It doesn’t cost a fortune either to get your hands on a piece. Also, watch out for their limited edition R&R X Derek

Nobbs Ahoy Signet ring. It’s a corker! www.rustandregret.com

Rust &Regret

£18.43

Nunfish

£3

Just by looking at this ring you’d think it’d

cost the earth but not really. Of Matter has

a ridiculously awesome selection of jewel-

lery ranging from dainty studs to this stack-

ing zig zag ring below.

www.of-matter.com

The colour of this little pom pom hat is what caught our at-tention! The price is also a bonus and sure to keep your head

warm for the rest of the cold months. www.misbehaveboutique.com

OfMatter

£13.90

MisbehaveBoutitique

£5.50

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Materials + ProcessMaterials + Process are beautiful leather goods and accessories

designed and handcrafted in San Francisco. Created by industrial designer and San Francisco native Christine Marcelino. This very

unique label looks to weave a story into its handmade goods through, ap-propriately enough, the materials and process that go into them. Christine

found herself fascinated by leather artisanship, and her passion is what fuels Materials + Process’ rugged simplicity and individual stories.

One of our favourite Materials + Process pieces is the leather Sacagawea Carryall. It’s a multi-strap tan carryall backpack that’s sweet enough to take

on a coffee date but also earthy enough to bring on a hike in the woods. Christine was inspired to create it while biking from a meeting to her design studio and realising that all Materials + Process had started out as was her ideas and what she had in her bag. She wanted to design a bag that would support anyone who was trying to make it the way she had, through hard

work and passion. Because the bag is dyed with plant based dyes and is un-coated, it absorbs the carrier’s history and journeys.

We love Materials + Process because the pieces aren’t just examples of dynamic design or impeccable craftsmanship, but each piece tells a story

that begins when the leather is cut and dyed and continues with the carrier through adventures of all kinds.

www.materialsandprocess.com By Chloe Lauter

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Label `crush

GiantLION was born in 2011 after artist & designer Caroline Whittington gradu-ated from art school. Her main focuses

are jewellery and ceramics and she has put all her knowledge and creative passion into this wonderful label that is all handmade with love in Virginia, US.

There is not a particular category that gi-antLION fits under, which is an advantage, we can’t call it vintage, or fairtrade and it is cer-tainly not the same designs you see on the high street.

None of the jewellery giantLION produces is over the top or tacky, each piece is minimal with an earthy modern feel. The recent line is inspired by vintage but with a dash of contem-porary street style and grunge, this sounds unusual, however the creations look like some-thing from a fairytale. This is probably due to the clever use of natural raw stone and mixed metals, which really merge well together.

Taking the highest quality of materials then selecting a delicate colour palette has allowed giantLION to succeed in intertwining tribal and glamour to create magical designs. What’s

more, each piece of jewellery is completely handmade with a lot of love, and thorough detailing, thus accommodating for a wide audi-ence, whether young or old. Even though this dreamy jewellery label is based all the way in Virginia, we are pleased to know that they ship internationally, so what-ever we see on the website is accessible in the UK.

There is a VIP feel when going through the purchasing process as your request is made to order which means each piece is unique and individual rather than a clone of another, what more could you want from a jewellery brand?

Oh, the prices? Well they are a bargain too so browse the site, you will not be disappointed, whether you are looking for a necklace, a pair of earrings, a ring or a bracelet there is much to choose from and what is even more thrilling to know about this jewellery is that they are designed to last.

www.shopgiantlion.com

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Who hasn’t imagined the perfect shoe for a special outfit, only to discover that it doesn’t exist at your price point? We definitely have, and so did Hilary Rosenmann and Barri Budin, the creators and designers behind downtown-cool shoe line Madison Harding.

Named after the Hilary and Barri’s home streets (Madison Avenue and Harding Drive), the line captures the designers’ New York urban edge, with just a pinch of retro sweetness.

Madison Harding shoes don’t scream for attention, they stand out effortlessly, just like Hilary and Barri’s slightly 1960s and 70s vintage personal styles. While Madison Harding certainly isn’t trendy, the shoes aren’t utilitarian either, instead incorporating just enough spunky modern elements to look perfectly of-the-moment for any season. Whether they’re showcasing Polyne-sian prints, styling their own edgy-cool lookbooks or planning a collaboration with Court Jeans, there’s never a moment’s rest for the Madison Harding team. Luckily, they’ve got the perfect shoes for it.

By Chloe Lauterwww.madisonhard

ing.com.

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Dutch label, Made By Lennebelle focuses on delicate silver and gold plated jewel-lery, the intriguing fact about this col-

lection is Lenneke, the creator, carefully se-lects materials from all around the globe to

use in her designs.

On first appearance it would seem that Made By Lennebelle has been around for years

but magically it is pretty young, at two years Lenneke has managed to gain a lot of cov-

erage from her designs.

Made By Lennebelle was born when Len-neke decided to share her love for jewellery.

The creations are colourful, delicate and fem-inine and aim to please strong, independent women with an eye for colour and a daring

personality.

Inspiration is taken from travels in Asia and South America, this has allowed the line to create a distinctive style, using materials such as feathers and tassels to compliment the silver perfectly. What’s more this jewellery is delivered in an antique glass tube to give

it that vintage, alternate feel.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful jewellery line; Made By Lennebelle can be purchased

from her online website.

www.lennebelle.com

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When did you start your blog, They Say BonjouR? I started my blog in 2010, in my second year of University. I was study-ing Media and Cultural studies at the time and wanted to start an online

outlet for my writing and love for fashion.

We love your personal style, who inspires you? Thank-you! Celebrity wise, I think Alexa Chung and Caroline Flack have great wardrobes and I love their personal flair. I get most of my

fashion inspiration from other fashion bloggers, and people that I see in the street, to me that is real fashion.

Take us through a typical day of yours...

I am a social media assistant so my days are very varied and chaotic! I live in Liverpool but work in Manchester, so I spend a lot of my time on

the train - reading magazines, tweeting and blogging!

What's your favourite thing about blogging??My favourite thing is how many different opportunities I have had

through my blog. I have had my blog featured in More! Magazine and Company Magazine. Blogging gave me a platform to showcase my work, my personal style and I have learnt so much and met many amazing and influential people, just through having my own blog. I have also collabo-rated with some great brands, and been invited to fashion events I would never normally have got a chance to attend. My blog has opened a lot of

doors for me.

www.alexalamode.tumblr.com/

@alexalamode

We love

fashion

blogger

Alex Blythin

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Where do you see yourself in the future??In the future I would like to further establish my career in fashion, and to still be blogging!

What do you do when you’re not blogging??When I’m not blogging I love watching French films, drinking tea, walking my dog and spending time with my

friends, family and boyfriend.

Where’s your favourite place to shop??I shop all over the place! I think my favourite is when I find an extra special Vintage piece, it’s so much better than

going into a high street store!

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Do you find inspiration for your wardrobe from any not so typical places??My Nan! She always looked immaculate, whether she was tidying the house or going to a party.

What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself at the beginning of

your

blogging journey?Not to feel pressured to post. If you’re not a full time blogger, it can be hard to find a work/life/blog balance! I

would never blog about an outfit that I haven’t worn, or throw anything on just to take photographs. I believe in quality over quantity when it comes to blog posts.

Do you have any advice for new and upcoming bloggers? Be original. There are SO many fashion bloggers out there now; to stay relevant you have to be true to your style.

Everyone can follow the latest trends, but only you have your style so stick to it!

Alex is wearing:Coat - H&M, Jumper - boohoo.com,

Shirt - Topshop, Shorts - Rokit Vintage Boots - boohoo.com, Fur stole - boohoo.

com, Bag - ASOS, Necklace - H&M

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Sun & Glory During many

trips to the

desert and New

Mexico in 2010, the label

Sun and Glory was born. It

was started by Annie Roc-

chio and has been inspired

by 70s macramé, mystic

nature and Native America.

Annie had started off by

simply creating just one

necklace and began pairing

it with items from her own

wardrobe.

Once people had seen

her creation, friends and

workers started to request

these items for themselves.

Over a few years, Annie

developed the line and the

online store was launched

in the autumn of 2012.

Complete with unique

pieces, only a few of each

designs are ever made.

Annie started by working

as a stylist in Los Angeles

for film and advertising.

Through her years work-

ing as a stylist, inspiration

came from everywhere

and produced art and

various side projects but

never began to imagine

she would start a jewellery

line. Outside of her work,

she began to blog, make

jewellery and create art and

eventually gave up her life

in the city to embark on an

adventure living in a cabin

in Colorado.

Being surrounded by

mountains, native Ameri-

can influence and nature,

she hoped to channel her

creativity further.

The line as it is today has

been made using only the

finest deerskin leather that

has been purchased mainly

from Native American

Trading Posts. Many of her

designs take on a Native

American theme, as this is

where her inspiration came

from when very young.

A small line of neck-

laces was launched in 2011

after a trip to Marrakech

inspired Annie to look at

colours, textures and the

shops and began to make

necklaces from the one of

a kind Berber beads and

deerskin leather.

The most recent release has

seen a macramé chain. This

has been inspired my chain

mail and mysticism and has

used the same technique

with leather.

2013 will see the line ex-

pand by using more earthy

materials such as metal,

cotton and wool.

By Jade Stokes

www.sunandglory.com

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An interview with

Elia FernAndez

Elia Fernández is a Netherlands based artist that started her drawing ca-reer when she was just two years

old. In 2009 Elia studied fashion design but found out that it was not her true call-ing in life, she just wanted to spend her

days drawing. Since then she has constantly evolved, and hopes to continue improving until

the day she dies. We had the lucky opportunity to interview this

outstanding artist.

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Please, tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and brought up in Madrid, a city that I love. There I studied a year of styling in a fashion school, but I soon discovered that I really like to illustrate and entered in the official school of illustration in Madrid. However, I soon moved to Holland in search of new opportunities! And here I am!

What inspires you to draw?

The inspiration is so hard to ex-plain. I think my real inspiration comes from the images around

me and how my brain interprets it in its own way. I like to take reality, a face, a body and sur-

round it with elements that are not visible but in reality we all see in our mind, like dreams or perceptions. Music also helps

me a lot, she brings ideas, shows me pictures, makes me feel

things and then I try to illus-trate. Depeche Mode, Muse, Led Zeppelin have inspired many of

my illustrations.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I like the freedom, I mean, sometimes you are adjusted to

editors and texts, but usually you have freedom in your work,

you can create and investigate.

You can make your ideas become possible, it’s in the hand

of the illustrator, totally dependent on yourself, your

excitement and your projects.

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What do you do when you’re not using your creative talent?

Probably what I like after illustration is astronomy, I wish I could travel into space in my

free time. I am content to read and learn from books about the universe.

Do you have afavourite piece of artwork?

My work is constantly changing. I especially like ‘My Astronaut’, this piece has a lot of meaning

for me and was a breakthrough in my work.

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What do you like the most about illustrating?

Maybe what I like most of the illustration is the infinite possibilities. You can create whatever you want! There are no rules or boundaries, no gravity!

And what are the most difficult things about being a illustrator?

You have to have your head in ‘creatively’ and at the same time you have to have a cold head to focus on reality. Be aware that

you must work hard, get up eve-ry day and work hard at home. You should know that there are many more people struggling

just like you. Stay in your place and have willpower and lots of

encouragement and desire!

Do you have any ex-citing projects in the pipeline?

Right now I’m thinking about immersing myself into a new

project, however the idea is just being born. I want to create a project through a mixture of photography (real element) and illustration (unreal ele-

ment) and explore the millions of types of thoughts and desires

from people and their fears.

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We Were Warriors is a mixture of vintage and handmade clothes based in Brisbane, Australia. This label began in Sydney selling pretty and playful vintage dresses locally

and online, and since mid-2012 have begun producing original designs under the label. Photographer Kalindy, the label’s designer, quit her job to design full-time for We Were Warriors and hasn’t looked back since. Each collection is handmade in the label’s Brisbane studio in limited runs,

with inspirations ranging from classic literature to cult film.

We Were Warriors’ most recent collection, “You’re a Stone Fox”, is inspired by an irrepressibly, whimsically adventurous girl – one who isn’t content with the everyday, who wants to run away, go on adventures and travel with foxes, a girl who is ready for her life to begin right now. For the

lookbook, Kalindy mixed vintage items with original pieces from the collection, some of which were made with vintage fabric and buttons and based off of 1960s patterns, striking a balance between

sweet and wild.We Were Warriors is now working hard on their next collection, and will be debuting jewellery, ac-

cessories and bags to accompany their quirky clothes. We certainly can’t wait.By Chloe Lauter

www.wewerewarriors.com.au

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Capture the night sky

with

Stars & Tart uses colourful and bright imagery, all with the aim of capturing the beauty of the sky. Producing some of the finest quality scarves, Stars & Tart want

people to be able to cherish the beauty that is before them. Likening a night sky to an art gallery, and describing the

beauty of the moment similar to gazing up to the stars whilst savouring a piece of tart.

The brand was created in 2012 by Bibi Lei. She wanted to bring the beauty of the scarf to everybody and believes that the shape of a scarf is like a painting and that these paintings can be wrapped around you. The stars, animals, embracing and love inspire her and this imagery is com-

pleted reflected within her designs.

Stars+Tart

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This scarf embodies the starsign of Aries by personifying a character. Combined with the strong visual imagery, this stunning graphic is set on a backdrop of a night sky.

Aries and Musca

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This stunning print scarf looks exactly like gazing up into the sky on a deep, dark evening. With two flying horses, their wings seem to ‘glow’ and set on a deep coloured background, this makes the print seem all the more special.

Pegasus and Equuleus

By Jade Stokeswww.starsandtart.com

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>>>Tell us a bit about yourself:

My name is Sergio Spanu and I’m an Italian freelance fashion/portrait photographer and digital retoucher. I also work as a photo editor at an agency in Italy.

>>> Where did you grow up?

I was born in 1978 in Italy, and I now live in Turin.

>>>What are your interests?

My interests focus particularly on fashion and portrait photography.

>>>Do you have a link to your website?

Yes, here is the link: www.sergiospanu.com

>>> tell us more about this series of photographs:

The story of this set “Eternity” began when I decided to release a project merging photos to movement. The set is part of a long series: one of the goals of this big project is to carry out a personal research by studying the deep rela-

tionship between light, colours and movement. Through these elements I’m building my own style.

Photographer profile

...Sergio Spanu...

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